☆☆➹⁀☆☆4 stars☆➹⁀☆☆

What it’s about:

The Acquisition has ruled my life, ruled my every waking moment since Sinclair Vinemont first showed up at my house offering an infernal bargain to save my father’s life. Now I know the stakes. The charade is at an end, and Sinclair has far more to lose than I ever did. But this knowledge hasn’t strengthened me.
Instead, each revelation breaks me down until nothing is left but my fight and my rage. As I struggle to survive, only one question remains. How far will I go to save those I love and burn the Acquisition to the ground?

Review:

Sovereign is the conclusion to Celia Aaron’s macabre Acquisition Trilogy. This trilogy is dark, twisted and sadistic. The author’s warning about the trilogy should not be ignored. Fortunately, with each installment, the reader is given a growing sense of hope as the Vinemont family and their “acquisition”, Stella Rousseau, become more familiar, and they rally for a common cause.

The brutality of the trials continues throughout the series, however, our heroine, Stella, grows wiser and physically stronger despite—or perhaps because of—revelations about her family and the impending trials. She is the ultimate victim as well as the ultimate heroine who won’t let tyranny keep her down. Stella has developed strong attachments to the Vinemont family, and has found the ultimate motivation for success. Less enigmatic as the series progresses, Sinclair Vinemont, has found that he does, in fact, have feelings. While he must keep up the public appearance of not caring for Stella to achieve his ultimate goal, he does harbor strong, possessive feelings for her. There is frequent angst due to miscommunication, role playing, and lack of complete trust.

While the readers are most vested in Stella and Sin, other Vinemont family members contribute to the series. Lucius has become a key player in Sin’s plan, and lovable youngest brother, Teddy, has always been involved—even if he doesn’t realize it.

The reigning sovereign, Cal Oakmont is one of the most despicable and unlikable antagonists I’ve ever come across! The nut doesn’t fall far from the tree as his duplicitous and uncaring daughter, Sophia, takes part in the games as well as partners with Sin to take advantage of her father and the system.

This tale of unchecked power and secret societies is frequently hard to read, but I found Stella’s inner strength and determination compelling. Learning that one of Sin’s motivations is to take down this organization helps to get through the cruelty. Sovereign is ultimately the perfect conclusion to the Acquisition trilogy. It takes the series from the foreboding of Counsellor, to the dark, sick, twists in Magnate to an ultimately redemptive conclusion. While I maintain this series is not a romance, there is a story of love that plays out in a most satisfying finish.

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About the author: Celia Aaron is the self-publishing pseudonym of a published romance and erotica author. She loves to write stories with hot heroes and heroines that are twisty and often dark.